Collaborative curriculum planning
Collaborative curriculum planning is a process that can be used to decide the best curriculum options and adjustments for a student with disability. Find out how the process works and how teachers, parents, carers, and students work together.
Collaborative curriculum planning explained
Collaborative curriculum planning is used to decide the best curriculum options and adjustments to support a student with disability. It’s part of a wider personalised planning process that includes other supports to meet the student’s learning and support needs.
A team of people who know the student well work together to make these decisions. This team usually includes the student, where appropriate, their parents or carers, teachers, and other key people in the student’s life.
What is decided through collaborative curriculum planning
During collaborative curriculum planning, it is important to consider:
- the student’s needs, strengths, goals, interests, and prior learning as they transition through the stages of schooling
- any adjustments required to teaching, learning, and assessment for each subject
- the sequence and emphasis that might be needed for particular areas of syllabus content
- how the student will demonstrate knowledge, understanding and skills, and the method that might be used for reporting achievement in relation to the syllabus outcomes.
The team involved make the following decisions through collaborative curriculum planning:
- For Years K-10, the outcomes and content most appropriate for the student in each key learning area (KLA). Or for Years 11-12, the pattern of study most appropriate for the student.
- Adjustments required for particular teaching, learning, and assessment opportunities.
- Learning goals for the student. For example, goals relating to communication, reading, interpersonal skills, numeracy.
Plan appropriate curriculum options for your student
Use the tool below to answer a few questions about your student's learning needs and strengths. Based on your answers, the tool will suggest appropriate curriculum options to help the student take part in learning.
Download PDF version
You can also download a PDF version of the collaborative planning process (PDF 168.29KB).
Get to know the student and consider their:
- background
- strengths
- interests
- learning and support needs.
Gather information about their previous and current capabilities such as:
- information about the student’s academic progress, including from previous schools if appropriate
- previous student plans or profiles
- assessment and diagnostic data
- knowledge of the student from their parents and/or carers
- medical and health care reports
- work samples and observations
- conversations with the student.
Make time for the team to meet, including the student. Engage in open, collaborative discussions about the student’s long-term goals. Analyse the information you’ve gathered. Seek to gain a mutual understanding of the student’s specific needs and the adjustments required. Respectful acknowledgment of the expertise of all stakeholders will encourage ongoing communication.
Select and confirm the options, adjustments, and interventions that will support the student. Document the agreed decisions with a personalised student plan. Identify any specific resources including training and equipment required. Communicate the plan with the student, parents/carers, teachers and other relevant people. Personalised plans can relate to one or more of the following aspects:
- curriculum, learning, and assessment (through collaborative curriculum planning)
- communication
- social and/or emotional health
- attendance
- behaviour
- transition (between stages of schooling, between schools, from school to post-school settings)
- mobility and/or accessibility
- health and/or personal care
- sensory needs.
Establish a process and a timeframe for the team to track and review the planning decisions. Consider using ongoing consultation to evaluate the effectiveness of adjustments. This will allow the team to assess whether they continue to meet the student’s identified needs. Use data to inform student progress. This will help the team to consider if any new or extra adjustments are required.